Ruins of Innocence

[Draven Alcanis]

Sethis:  "Anyone know if there's any chance we can find feral mounts or possibly a wagon and beast to pull it?" I asked dryly, looking to both Perrine and Elita without the faintest idea of where we actually were.  Nyxis and I had never come close to this part of the plains, and it was a fair distance from the mountain pass we had taken years ago.  My companion was silent, and the other avalar, Varia, wasn't saying much at all either.  I doubted that the stone elemental would be inclined to act as the said beast of burden, not after having showed such ferocity against the hydra.  I just hoped we didn't end up enemies at a later time...

`Northern valley - Shadows Gathering`

...the valley was all that remained of a once active volcano; two and a half miles wide at the narrowest, and a hundred at the widest end.  Mountains formed a natural barrier on all sides, and where there might have been evergreens and brush scaling the sides of them, nothing but desolate rock and ash covered the ground.   It would have been a barren featureless wasteland if it wasn't for the thousands of camp fires that illuminated the pale grey of the bleak dawn.  Beings of every possible kind, most noted for their cruelty and chaotic natures.  Thieves, mercenaries, bandits, and warriors alike had been gathered, close to two thousand strong with more arriving by the week.  Yet for every hundred or so, there was always one black cloaked figure moving amongst the campfires, and where they passed, silence fell, as well as any cessation of activity.  Any brawls that continued in their presence never lasted long, and those who weren't disciplined by the powerful thaumaturgic powers used, were drenched with gore, the lessons brutally clear.

Towards the back of the valley, in cave tunnels that once contained the volcanic flows of magma, an even darker gathering of powers was under way.  Nine figures in various styles of dark clothing were seated at rough obsidian tables, some together in groups of three, or just pairs, but for two, who sat alone, staring at each other across the chamber.  Kneeling before them in the center of the room in the only truly illuminated spot was the Grelisalfar that had almost captured the unicorn woman.  It practically groveled in the faint crimson light coming from the jagged crystal above, its form shaking with tension, rage, and most of all, blind abject terror to the powers that surrounded it...

(Sorry...minds been gone on vacation for the last little bit.  Thought it would be interesting to give us the chance to flesh out their adversaries a little more...and their goals/interests.)

[Cynergi]

"Well..." Elita stated whilst clearing her throat."...I am the daughter of the ruler. I am certain that, once we reach the town, I can get any number of travelers or merchants to give us passage." Trying not to sound too important. Perrine only shook her head looking to the Unicorn. "Yes, you could. That is...if we were headed to Penny Falls. We are not and no merchant or traveler would dare take us anywhere near where we are headed.....none in their right mind anyway." There was a brief pause followed by a sigh. "The only two ways we will get mounts is if we buy them or steal them and unless we have the coin for it? Option two is all we have. We might be able to secure transportation with a merchant that will get us closer to our destination, but not the whole way. Too many people steer very clear of Fell-Gallows and for very good reason. Not too mention that using merchants or travelers can take longer and draw unwanted attention to what we are doing." Scratches her head. "Stealing the mounts also has it's own problems if we get seen or caught. The roads are going to be well patrolled and word carries by way of bird around these parts. We can duck towns and villages, but we will need to secure supplies very soon." Elita, having felt slighted, spoke up now. "Wait until dark and see what we can find? If we hit one of the outlying farms we can probably find some mounts to use." She was just trying to help and didn't like having her suggestion simply brushed off, but Perrine did have a point and she knew it. Perrine walks over, seeing Elita was unhappy, and rests a hand on her shoulder. "That is awfully dark of you to suggest, Eli. I didn't think theft would ever cross your mind." Lightly touches her hand to Elita's cheek. Truth was the thought of stealing mounts made her cringe as well. After all, she was a well known knight at one time. Some one may easily recognize her and if she got caught.......perish that though. "Well it seems we have our options laid out unless some one else has a better plan?"

The Frozen Mountains - Deep within the White Giant

She couldn't ignore the sensation she was feeling. Something felt....ominous. Her rounded ears perked a bit as she stood near the mouth of the cave overlooking the vast expanse of the mountain range. Down below was the valley where she felt those six before. The four and their two odd friends. Xerxes slumbered quietly within the depths of his lair behind her. She was very silent and very still. Feeling out what that ominous sense was. It was pretty far off to the south. Well away from the mountains and the master though she knew, somehow, that it was not going to stay there for too much longer. "Master will have to awaken...soon." her eyes narrowed and she turned quietly to step back inside the cave. Taking only a few small steps before shimmering and winking out.

Penny Falls - The Palace

Wynstar sat upon his throne in the empty throne room. He had forbade any audience today. Having sent out his patrols to search for his daughter some time ago. His thoughts now intruded upon by an encroaching darkness that felt some distance away. "it is drawing closer....this darkness I have felt. Time is running out." he thought sitting there drumming his fingers together. His shadowy friend was nowhere to be found and he felt some solace in his absence.

Four Winds Temple

Elara stood aloof on her private balcony. From here she could see out over the cliffs below to the city and far out over the lands to the east. However it was not the east that enticed her to come out here, but that dread feeling from somewhere in the south. This feeling had begun to haunt her and reinforce her fear for her daughter's safety. She had lied to Perrine and to her husband of her visions. Tried to protect the ones she loved so dearly. Now this secret may have sent her daughter to face her destiny and Perrine to her fate. Time was not an ally now. The pain of the truth would soon be known.......

[Draven Alcanis]

Sethis:  "Unless you have letters or some kind of passes/orders that grant you the right to demand aid from the local populace, there's little chance that any form of transportation will be provided without actual proof of who you are.  Then there's a chance that whoever we meet will try to send word to the capitol of where you are and any intentions that they might hear us talking about," I added, looking to Elita, face blank of emotion.  "As for funds..."

I pulled out a melon sized pouch from the satchel I had slung over one shoulder, and the sound of coins jingling together filled the air.
"My...predecessors...made sure to save a little for 'rainy day's," I remarked, opening the pouch and revealing the silver and gold coins, most of unusually old mintage and shapes.  "Might as well put it to use and also come up with a better disguise for the journey, Elita..."
"Not to mention the energies radiating off of her," Nyxis remarked, giving the unicorn woman a contemplative look.

"A group such as ours would probably be best as traveling merchants, since I doubt we could have Warrior Perrine look like anything other than a swords woman," Varia remarked, also giving the others head to toe looks.  "Maybe have Elita traveling as the daughter of a wealthy merchant?  Something that isn't too far out of character for her..."
I put away the pouch of coins, and paused a moment to send my awareness out to the surrounding shadows, making sure that there were no observers.  There were none, but I felt something unusual in the ground around us...or rather linked to the grounds.
I started slightly as I realized that what, or rather who I felt was Varia and her companion, also sending out their awareness to the grounds around us.

[Cynergi]

"For this to work you'll need to loose everything, Elita. The Cloak, my old armor you have wearing, your staff, even your pack since it bears your family's emblem on it." Perrine was also giving her the thorough once over. "You will remain outside of town until we can acquire new clothing for you. Once we have what we need....we...can....." Perrine trailed off as her ears suddenly stood straight up and panned around until one of them faced north. Elita's ears stood up and panned around in response. "What? What is it?" Upon the wind there was a faint sound that was rising above all the other noises around them. A distinct one both Perrine and Elita were familiar with. The slow beat of leathery wing upon the air. Elita was the first to see them. She had really good eyesight and a notable sense for direction as she looked south. Perrine simply followed her gaze. What they saw were two shadows in the wake of the sun some distance off, but one could tell they were headed this way as they grew slightly in size every moment. At least six of them. Their position in the sky gave no background to compare them with for size at this distance, but Perrine was well aware of what was coming their way right now. "Dragons.....it's a patrol." She sounded utterly sure. "Have they seen us?" Elita sounded almost hopeful at first, but quickly change her tone when she realized just who they were.  "No. I don't think they can see us yet. Too far off still." Perrine turns to the others. "We have to find cover and no magic. Those are faerie dragons they are riding. They can sense magic..even elemental powers. There are six of them...." She sighs looking at Elita. "....normally faerie dragons are not dispatched unless  they are looking for something very specific that uses magic.......you Elita." She was not sure exactly how or why they had been dispatched here, but chances were very good they were seeking the young unicorn. "Faerie Dragons are a breed of dragon that ware much smaller than their larger brethren  They look like a large Wyvern  with elongated snouts and large amber eyes. There scales are all multi-colored in hues of blue, orange, yellow, green, and pink. Though they are the weakest breed of dragon they are still capable of flight with up to 500-600lbs of gear including one rider. They possess no breath weapon, but have extremely sharp claws and teeth. They are also very adept at detecting all types of magic and magical creatures. As of now they haven't detected their prey, but they can sense even the slightest bit of magic from a distance of 1-2 miles around them. They will be in range very very soon" Elita tried to remain calm as she openly explained what she knew of those coming toward them.

"if we stay here they will sense me even if we hide....." Sighing and slouching her shoulders. "I could just surrender and let them find me. You must know they are probably looking for me, by now. And even if they aren't they will recognize me and try to take me home. If they get me while the rest of you hide you'll be able to continue on. If they see you guys as well they may try to seize you or escort you to Penny Falls." She looked like she was about to just walk out into the open and let them see her until Perrine grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Not necessarily....... Faerie Dragons can sense magic, but not if are deep enough underground. Elemental Magic doesn't give off quite the presence as arcane magic does.." Perrine looks over at Eron. "Eron? Can you make us a hole or a deep ditch we can hide in....say about 20 feet deep? Once we get down under the ground far enough they shouldn't be able to sense us. We will need to be covered completely though otherwise it won't work."

[Draven Alcanis]

Varia:  Erron had already vanished from sight, the ground around us starting to sink rapidly.  The depression was uniform and round, but as soon as the edge was three feet tall, it started to close, flowing up and over us.  The human and his elemental faded instantly, vanishing into the shadows cast by the rising dome.  Both Erron and I would be deaf as to the distance of the faery dragons and their approach, unless they landed.  Whatever Sethis and his companion had planned, I could do nothing but hope and wait that it was nothing reckless.  Erron continued to take us down deeper into the ground, causing a luminescent harmless fungus to grow on the dome, which also created breathable air...

Sethis: Though I had vanished from sight, I was still in the shadows of Erron's dome, just a hair's breadth between them and the shadow realm.  Nyxis had her 'eye's in a few shadows on the surface, our thoughts linked by something different than pure arcane magicks.
There were many sources of magick in the world, but the main two that were known to most mortals were those of the Divine and Arcane paths.

The divine magicks were sourced directly from the five gods (Six if you included the Goddess of the Void), the power granted by the beings responsible for the creation of the world and all of its aspects.  Some of the spells worked similar to what arcane practitioners used, but they had a different resonance to those who were sensitive to such energies.

Arcane magick manifested either from within a practitioner of the arts, or was drawn through sheer force of will from the surrounding world and reality.  Some spells were easy depending on what was being done; while others took far more effort and could leave a longer lasting effect, even backlash that could affect entire landscapes for miles around.  Such events could take years, even centuries to recover.

The elemental powers were primal, raw forces that when unleashed by those who were foolish enough to attempt bending them to their will usually ended in disaster.  When someone gifted, blessed, or otherwise smart enough to request their aid left little to no impression on the world, naturally finding ways to balance the use of their abilities on their surroundings.

Even to those perceptive to to arcane and divine sources, it would cause only the faintest of 'ripples' in the surroundings.
"They're still approaching, slowly, but I can't tell if they noticed us at all," I said, voice echoing from the shadows into the domed area.

[Cynergi]

The dragons would sense nothing. The elemental magic was far to subtle and they were too far away yet for it to have caused them any notice. They simply flew right past without so much as a glance at the spot where they were safely hidden. One of the dragons let out a low bellow as it past right overhead and continued on it's path going further and further away. The knights upon their back noticed nothing they deemed out of the ordinary. The trick had worked, but it also proved they'd need to be a bit more careful in the future. "If....if that patrol was looking for Elita then you can bet there will be more. We may run into foot patrols as well. If they have any magic users with them...." Perrine whispered softly just being careful not to raise her voice. "They may be able to spot me." Elita sighed. She felt a little uneasy now. Most Mages in the order  and in service to her father were trained to be able to spot other magic users and identify them. The allowed the Templar Knights and the city garrison to single out magic users working with any enemy forces and promptly take them out quickly. "If we stick to the roads we will be spotted....or...at least I will." Pulling her hood over her head as if she was trying to hide something. "There are other ways of getting where we need to go. Since we have money enough we can get ourselves some sturdy mounts and follow some of the paths through the hills. It will not be easy, but maybe safer." Perrine was thinking now. " We may have to rough it though. Going into towns will be risky. Elita, you will have to stay outside of any town we come across. If we need supplies I believe me and Varia will be the one to fetch them. The two of us are less likely to draw attention. Sethis....we will need you to remain with Eltia. As far as I can tell you are the most capable among us." Perrine looked to Varia. "Varia I don't mean any disrespect in you abilities, but you are the one with all the money and your are less likely to draw any attention to yourself." Perrine sighs.

"I can agree to that. I would fee safer if Sethis was with me." Elita chimed in though it seemed she was feeling uneasy. She way. This was a lot more than she had ever bargained for and it was slowly eating away at her resolve. "Maybe you and Varia should go and secure what we need while Sethis and I head south to meet you on the other side of the town. That way you don't have to back track here and it will save us a little time?" Elita looked to Sethis. "Is that agreeable?"

[Draven Alcanis]

Sethis:  I emerged from the shadows into the cave pocket, looking to Perrine with a raised eyebrow, the light provided by the earth elemental linked to Varia more than enough see the others clearly.
"I would think that Varia would stand out more in the country towns and small villages than I would.  I still don't know what her people are or whence they come from, but they are far from common," I responded.  "Besides...Varia and her companion can keep Elita out of sight and in some ways far better protected from the dangers of the countryside..."

Nyxis slowly emerged as well from the faint shadows, still linked to those keeping an eye on our surroundings, but in her human form.
"They've passed for the moment," She said, looking at the others and also giving a mental sigh.  Her unspoken words and thoughts shared between us.  Mostly concern about trying to aid these four and whether it was what we were truly meant to do.  Both of us still felt a tug towards the North West, to the mountains that were rumored to be a desolate wasteland.

"And Varia hasn't shown that she has much coin or need for it the last little bit," I added.
"I don't.  Usually I ask for supplied in return for my services, or whatever a person is able to offer within reason," She replied calmly, the ground beneath her rising a little  as her elemental poked his head out of the ground, emerald eyes gleaming.

[Cynergi]

"They've past for now. There are bound to be more." Perrine was the first to emerge from hiding and take a moment or two to survey the area before helping Elita and then the others come out from hiding. "We need to get moving now. We're wasting daylight here and we still have a lot of ground to cover. Let's head for the town and get what we need." She was already turning to head towards the town as Elita took a moment to brush herself off and gather some composure. She was getting tired of all the constant bickering and just wanted to get moving now since going home appeared to be well out of the question. "I am going to need something to mask my magical presence otherwise no amount of hiding is going to avail us for long." Elita started following Perrine headed in the direction of the town. Since unicorns are magical creatures they give off a very faint magical aura, but it can still be detected if a trained magic user gets close enough. There were a few ways to hide or mask the aura however. Willowood tree sap, if properly made, is a type of poison that does not kill, but robs the victim of their magic for one day. The problem with the sap is that taking it too often could make one violently ill. An article of clothing made from White Mithril can be used to hide any magic user and magical creature, in disguise, from being detected. The problem there is that the material is extremely rare and extremely expensive and anyone using it must be covered from head to toe for the desired effect to be evident. There are several spells that will disperse the aura for a short time, but the spells usually don't last long and must be recast periodically which can defeat the purpose altogether.

(sorry it took so long to post. I have been busy getting ready to a long trip. Speaking of which I will be out of town all next week so I may not be able to post until I get back)

[Draven Alcanis]

Varia:  I looked to Erron and nodded slightly as Elita's comments about hiding her magick was aired.  In a few moments the ground next to us seemed to rise slightly before a bubble of what might have been molten slag pushed forth.
"Lady Elita, please kneel for a moment," I asked, going to stand before her as Erron cupped the molten rock in one massive forefoot.  "Sethis, I will also need your aid in this."

"What!  What the hell am I supposed to do with molten stone?" he asked with a start, both him and Nyxis backing off a little, one due to the light, the other due to the intense heat radiating from the stone.  I sighed and turned to look at him.
"Erron and I will work the stone, but I need to you lace it with additional properties, mainly that concealing energies of shadow that you instinctively use," I explained calmly.  "There is still much for you to learn and as much as certain elements might be opposed to each other naturally, they can work together.  Please...trust us in this..."

[Cynergi]

Trust. The word gets tossed around like coin these days. In most respects it meant very little to people. However....this time it was going to mean a whole lot more. With out trust this little adventure would be over before it began. They'd be lucky to even reach Fell  Gallows at the rate they were going now, but at least something in the way of cooperation was taking place. Elita was not about to argue as she quickly takes off her cloak and then the armor she wore under that leaving the lithe creature in her loincloth and light tunic. Perrine quickly takes the armor and takes it apart and tosses the armor Elita's and in her pack. It may not be of any use now, but it may come in handy later. Elita knelt down where directed looking wide eyes at the molten rock, but not feeling the need to worry about it. Perrine remain silent and moves away from the group a little ways to keep watch.

[Draven Alcanis]

Varia:  Sethis scowled but moved a little closer, uncertainty marking his features and posture as much as anything else.  His companion moved next to my own, though keeping Erron's bulk between herself and the molten rock.
Looking to Elita, I rubbed my hands together brusquely to help prepare my Sa for what we were about to do before placing my hands lightly on the unicorns head.

Gently, I used my senses to measure her head and facial structure, sharing this with Erron who started the process of molding the molten slag in his 'palm'.  Allowing his awareness to focus on the fit and shape of what we were making, I extended my awareness to Sethis, opening my mind and spirit to him...

Sethis: ...The threads of element Varia and Erron were using were strong, obvious and yet also  invisible in another sense to my mind.  I could feel and perceive them as the faintest of distortions in the air and their strength, but that was it.  A few of the threads reached out to me, and I felt the tentative brush of another's mind, so different from Nyxis's own.  Taking a deep breath, I allowed my own thoughts to reach out to hers-

-I gasped, my eyes opening wide but not seeing our surroundings.  A landscape of energy was before me, angular, grounded, and shaped of crystals, metals and stone; Varia sitting in the middle of it on a single pillar of rock no larger than two feet in height and as thin as an arrow.
Between us the landscape of her mind stopped at an edge of darkness so clear and precise as to be shockingly stark in the contrast.  A landscape of nebulous starry sky was behind me, taking on shapes both beautiful and nightmarish in their abstract appearance.  While Varia's shifted slowly with the pure subtle grace of ages witnessed by the world, the forms of my mind scape were constantly twisting, collapsing and growing with each second.

Turning my attention back to her, I noticed a metallic representation of what she had in mind hovering before her.  Without speech or any other symbolism, I saw the patterns of energy  she and her companion were weaving into the 'skullcap' and the knowledge of how the energies of shadow could also be added to it without causing disruption.
Following the silent guidance, I linked with Nyxis and started to follow the patterns, my mind quickly picking up the knack and moving faster and with more confidence as the powers flowed between us...

The molten blob quivered and twisted in the earth elemental's palm, the heat radiating from it intensifying for a moment as portions slid off and hit the ground with a dull 'plop' before sinking from sight.  More and more ran off from the main molten mass, until something that looked like an oddly shaped elongated bowl rested against the stone palm.  From white hot, to dull orange, angry rust red, then a dull mat steel that shifted to a final glossy grey/black stone.  Anyone with a knowledge of gemstones and other kinds of rock would recognize it as Hematite, also called Soul Stone; known for its grounding effects on excess magic and other energies.

The depression inside of it darkened noticeably more, seeming to fill with shadows that formed a faint mist.  The human stumbled slightly and sank to his knees, panting for breath as his elemental rushed over to him.  Erron presented the cap to Varia who had also moved to sit down, though far more gracefully than the human.

Varia:  I accepted the skullcap from Erron with a deep nod of thanks, cradling this in my hands as I turned my weary eyes to Elita.
"What has been brought forth here is no small thing, M'Lady," I said softly, idly caressing the stones smooth surface.  "Avalars have seldom worked together, and none have done so in the last three hundred years...Take this cap and wear it proudly as a gift, for it will not only conceal your magicks, but part of your heritage...your horn..."  Holding it out to her, I bowed my head again, knowing that the horn would  slide to a space between spaces and thus make it seem as if Elita was just another equine, though one of noble bearing...

[Cynergi]

Elita, kneeling to the ground, closes her eyes and tries to empty her thoughts. Just trying to get through this so they could move on. It turns inward. Her thoughts seem to draw her ever deeper for some reason. The darkness deep within coming forward to make itself known to her. She knew it well, but had never dealt with it. It felt warm and inviting as if an old friend had come to embrace her and yet she found herself feeling awkward in it's presence. "Do you not know me?" The voice she heard was soft and warm like that of a mother greeting her beloved child. "I do not recognize you." She thought quietly. For a moment the darkness seemed to recede a little. "Am I alien to you? Am I unknown?" It questioned her. "I....no....I do know you, but I do not recognize you." Elita thought. The darkness was silent for only a moment. "This is not true...you recognize me, but you deny me. Why?" It asks. It note seemed to change as if insulted or upset at her answer. "You are not me. You do not belong here. I refuse you." Elita thought. Again the darkness seemed silent for a moment or two. "You cannot. I cannot....you cannot refuse you. I am you. I am denied, but I am here and I call myself....Elita. I am that which you have been denied, but not because you want to. Because I was hidden from you by your mother. I am here and soon.....soon we will be what destiny has called us to be. I will be......" The darkness was ripped away from her as she heard her named called.

Her eyes open slowly as though she had been deep in slumber and her mind aligned itself as before though she felt that dark presence was still lurking somewhere in the very depths of her awareness. She comes out of her light trance and looks up at Varia for a moment. Gracefully taking the cap in her hands and easily, slowly placing it on her head. She could feel her magic shift somehow. As if it was being shoved inward. She had no access to it now. This was the desired effect. Magic needed to be free to be used. This way was like stuffing it into a bag and drawing the strings tight. To use it she would have to remove the cap thus exposing her true identity to all around her. She looked no different than any other equine now. She stood up and even slouched a little adding to her new appearance an bit. "Thank you. I understand what had to be done to make this." She wasn't really sure actually, but she did have the gist of it. It was about this time that Perrine returned from her patrol. She seemed clam which was a telltale sign. "That patrol turned further north towards the mountains and disappeared. I doubt that we will see them again if we move out before too long. There doesn't seem to be any other patrols around on foot so this was just a chance encounter. We will see more along the road..." Perrine noticed Elita. "...however I don't believe they will be able to recognize us once we get some new clothes for Elita. I will be fairly hidden in my own cloak and safe as long as I don't come into direct contact with any of the patrols. There may be some who can still spot me though." She quickly gived the unicorn her clothes. "Get dressed for now, Elita. We need to be on our way"

Elita makes haste in dressing and strapping her sword back to her hip. The thing keeping dormant. She was wondering if maybe the sword still knew of it was her or not or if it was just reacting to her magic being suppressed. Finishing up she looked to the others to see what was going to happen next.......

[Draven Alcanis]

Sethis:  The armadillo woman turned and started towards where Perrine had indicated the town would be.  Her elemental companion sank into the ground, then what appeared to be a caravan lizard emerged from the dirt with a loud grunt, tongue flicking out slowly.

The lizards were known to be fairly docile and of mild temperament when well fed, and while not fast, they were well suited for carrying heavy loads.  Easily twice the size of a feral buffalo, their bodies are broad and flat, the legs thick and powerful, claws on the front large and almost shovel like.  They mainly fed off of roots or burrowing critters mostly, yet weren't above going after carrion or wounded animals.  Mottle brown green scaled hide, the head was narrow, almost spear like with an under-slung jaw that had wickedly curved teeth jutting from it.  Unlike others of its kind which had small dark eyes, this ones were slightly larger and a bright emerald green that quickly faded.  Close to fifteen feet long and six feet wide, Erron's new form stood around 5 feet at the highest point on his back.

Varia carefully scrambled up onto his back and seated herself just behind his shoulders, a set of reins and broad flat saddle growing out of the elementals body.
I shook my head slightly but said nothing, silently thankful that I has Nyxis's help to stand, still feeling a little drained from making the skullcap for Elita.  Looking to Elita and Perrine, I gave a ghost of a smile and followed after the other Avalar.

After a few moments, I felt my strength return and softly started to sing for the first time in a long time, the song wordless, but the tune soothing and uplifting at the same time...

[Cynergi]

Elita paused for a moment at the site before her. She had little time to try and make sense of it before she was nudged, by Perrine, along the small dirt path headed toward the town. "I'm going, I'm going..." She huffed mildly as she started walking. She reached under her cloak and set her hand on the hilt of her sword. Immediately the thing thrummed in her hand. It was not fooled by her cap at all. Somehow that was both reassuring and scary at the same time. Perrine could see what she was doing and gauged the Unicorn's reaction. "It's not fooled apparently. That can be good and bad. Best to keep your hands away from it for now. That sword will do nothing, but draw attention. Draw it only as a last resort." Perrine kept her voice down. They were alone, but it seemed as good a time as any to get into the habit. "Right...." Elita nods in reply as they take up position just behind the lizard.

((I assume, from your description, that there was only one lizard))

[Draven Alcanis]

(Yes, and more than enough room for Elita and Perrine to scramble up onto it if they wish.)

Sethis:  The walk towards the nearby town was uneventful, most of the folks busy with daily chores and other responsibilities.  All in all, the town looked quite peaceful and someplace that would be perfect for settling down and avoiding the larger cares of the world.  A faint, idiotic dream at best for Nyxis and myself.  Such would never be allowed to us if even half the legends about Avalars proved true.  We existed for a reason, to be a voice for events in the world that others would have been deaf to until it was almost too late.
The very thought of finding an out of the way place to live in anonymity brought forth ghosts of images, half formed memories, feelings of anguish, terror, and ultimately a sense of loss that I couldn't explain away.
After so many years wandering, one would think that such things would have faded by now...

...Varia kept Erron on the outskirts of town, her companion now sporting an empty harness from which trade goods might have been secured upon its back.  Varia herself mostly concealed by a light voluminous robe with hood, making it seem as if she was a rodent folk of some kind, glad for the chance to stop and rest after a long journey.
"Don't suppose either of you happen to know what kinds of goods come out of this town?" I asked quietly, acting somewhat subservient to Elita as I attempted to give the impression that she was a wealthy merchant's daughter.  "We need to have something to carry with us to lend credibility to our 'appearances', M'Lady."

Most of the folk in what passed for the town proper eyed us with curiosity, but otherwise didn't seem to have any comment or remarks, nor did they approach us immediately...

(My apologies for the long wait.  Minds been struggling.)